Indian Fighters of
Data compiled by Charles M. Steese
Article printed in The Daily Item (
Updated by Don Leitzel (August 2008)
One of the main factors of the British winning the support of the Indians during the Revolutionary War was the boundary dispute which antedated the struggle for independence. The Indians never forgot how the early settlers encroached on lands they had reserved in their sales to, and treaties with the whites, and it was an easy matter for the English to enlist their sympathies.
The years 1778 and 1779 were bad ones for the colonists along the frontier. Many of them were away from home serving tours of duty with the Continental Army, and the backwoods settlements were left with little or no protection against invasion. The "Great Runaway" which followed the Indian raids left the settlements in
Just two hundred and twenty-eight years ago, in May, 1780, a famous company of the Frontier Rangers was mustered into service in
After being mustered in, an arrangement was made whereby only two patrols (of six men each) would be on active duty at one time. It was the duty of these patrols to pass along the frontier, and in case of attack or other necessity, the alarm was to be given and the entire company called out. This plan allowed those soldiers not in the patrols a chance to work their plantations which had stood idle so long after their owners had fled during the "Great Runaway."
The official record of the service of Overmeyer's Company will be found in the Third Series of the Pennsylvania Archives, on pages 344 and 345 of Volume 23. The complete roster of the Company here follows: George Boop, Jacob Brooner, Jacob Catherman, James Chambers, Robert Chambers, Edward Crawford, George Etzweiler, William Fisher, Anthony Fisher, John Forster, Jr. Robert Forster, Thomas Frederick, John Gethert, Jacob Harbster, Frederick Haney, David Harbster, Hironamus Haney, Christopher Haney, Adam Haney, John Ingram, Paschal Lewis, Samuel McLaughlin, Alexander McCalley, James McCoy, Lieut. William Moore, Ensign James Moore, Robert Noble, John Neese, Capt. George Overmeyer, Peter Overmeyer, George Overmeyer, Jr., Christopher Pergas, Andrew Pontius, Henry Pontius, George Pontius, Nicholas Pontius, Frederick Pointius, Daniel Parkinson, John Rearick, Martin Reinhart, Jacob Reinhart, George Reinhart, Frederick Reinhart, John Reasner, John Stewart, Christian Shively III, Edward Tate, Jacob Wise, Frederick Wise, Patrick Watson and Hugh Watson.
It was on May 16, 1780, when one of the patrols of this company was billeted at French Jacob's Mill (in West Buffalo township, Union county) that a raiding band of Delaware Indians attack the mill while the soldiers were washing their linen in the nearby stream. At the sound of the first shot all six of the patrol rushed for the mill to secure their guns. Four of them, James Chambers, John Forster, Jr., George Etzweiler and Samuel McLaughlin were killed. The other two members of the patrol, William Fisher and Patrick Watson, reached the mill in safety and gave the alarm. Soon many other members of the Ranger Company gathered and drove the Indians back into the forest.
Only a week later, Patrick Watson and his mother were killed, at their home near White Springs, by this same band of Indians. William Fisher was the only one of the patrol left to tell the story of the attack, and he too had a narrow escape, for while running into the mill a bullet intended for his head hit the door jam. William Fisher died in 1819, at his
Captain George Overmeyer was born in
James Chambers was a son of Robert and Mary Caldwell Chambers and was born in
John Forste Jr., was a brother of Major Thomas Forster of Revolutionary fame. Another brother Robert Forster was a member of Overmeyer's Ranger Company. All three of these brothers are buried in the Lewis Graveyard.
Samuel McLaughlin came to
George Etzweiler was a son of John George Etzweiler, a Swiss immigrant who came over in September,1743. The father died in one of the eastern counties. George Etzweiler married Mary Shorah in 1767, and came to
The regulation U. S. War Department marble markers were placed at the graves of John Forster Jr., James Chambers, Samuel McLaughlin, William Fisher and Patrick Watson in 1939. A year earlier, the Pennsylvania Historical Commission placed a monument near the site of French Jacob's Mill.
The roster of this entire company should find general interest as there are many descendants of these men living today in
6 comments:
My 5g grandfather was George Boop.. His Captian was Patrick Watson! I see where Patrick and his mother were killed by Indains.. and where he is buried.. Do you have any Idea where George and His wife Mary are buried? I have found all my ancestors graves but this one.. Thanks, Michael Boop - mpboop@yahoo.com
correction: George Boop's wife is Maria not Mary.. Also his son William and Maria died around the same time Oct 1825, and George btw Oct 1825 and Jan 1826.. They may be buried on a family plot? - Michael Boop
Thanks for the driving directions to the monument. I visited George Etzweiler's grave last year, after discovering that I am a direct descendant of his. My Grandpa Charles Hocker's Great-Grandmother was Susana Etzweiler, of Carsonville & Halifax. Just a note on George Etzweiler's wife: Her real maiden name was Joray and not Schorah. That was a mistake in the original account. She was from Bern, Switzerland and her family name was later changed to Jury. George was from Schaffhausen. Thanks again for sharing this fascinating piece of history! Travis Hocker - Travis72@msn.com
Great Blog! I appreciated your writings. FYI: Some images of where additional soldiers are buried can be found at:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11804015/john-george-overmire
- OvermyerHistoricals@Gmail.com
my 5th great grandfather was Jacob Catherman
I am related to Pvt./Capt. Johan Niclas Pontius, he served with Capt. Clark, under Overmyer.
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